ON JESS TURNING THIRTY-FIVE

I used to think, in some ways

Turning 35 was the mid-point

Of my life, or in other words,

Half way to death;

My father died At 70.

When I turned 40

I felt halfway through

a life of 80 years;

The same at 50. There my math stopped,

A life of 100 years seemed long enough.

My mother told me, after 35                               .

My body would change for the worse;

I’d grow a belly and when

I got out of bed in the morning,

My back would hurt. She was a prophet.

Happy birthday daughter Jessica;

At thirty-five you are only one-third of the way

Through your glorious life and although your body

May decide to complain, there’s more rainbow

Ahead of you, than rain.


SEA GLASS PEOPLE - Portraits in Words and Watercolors   (available on Amazon.com)